Truck-mounted lifting device



June 1, 1965 c; R. HoLzHAusE 3,186,571

TRUCK-MOUNTED LIFTING DEVICE Filed June 28. 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet l l IIN" 'll'l i 0, E.

June 1, 1965 C, R. HOLZHAUSE 3,186,571

TRUCK-'MOUNTED LIFTING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1962 4 sheets-sheet 2 June l, 1965 Q R, HQLZHAUSE 3,186,571

TRUCK-MOUNTED LIFTING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 we@ f/faib,

June l, 1965 c. R. HoLzHAUsE 3,186,571

TRUCK-MOUNTED LIFTING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VENTOR.

hais f6 @zz/mls@ BY United States Patent O 3,1S6,571 TRUCK-MOUNTED LIFTING DEVICE Charles R. Holzhause, 2 Kessing Drive, Greensburg, Ind. Filed .Inno 28, 1962, Ser. No. 205,899

. Claims. (Cl. 214-674) This invention relates to a truck-mounted lifting device, and more particularly to a lifting device mounted on a truck and movable between erected and retracted positions thereon.

It is an object of my invention to provide a lifting device which can be mounted on a conventional truck frame, which is movable between an erected operative position and a compact retracted position, which can be quickly and easily erected and retracted, which can be disposed in a plurality of different erected operative positions, and which will prove sturdy and dur-able in use.

In accordance with the preferred form of my invention, I provide a lifting device mounted on their rear end of a conventional truck. Said device comprises a first boom section swingably interconnected to the frame of said truck and movable between a retracted generally horizontal position and an erected generally upright operative position. A second boom section is also swingably interconnected to the truck frame for movement between a retracted position in which it is angularly oriented with respect to said rst boom section and an erected operative position in which it is disposed in longitudinal alignment with said first boom section. The two booms sections are operatively interconnected by link means connected to a power source mounted on the truck, whereby upon actuation of said power source said link means move the two boom sections from their retracted positions into their erected operative positions in which they are disposed in longitudinal alignment. Conveniently, locking means are provided for releasably locking said two boom sections in said operative position.

A carrier is slidably mounted on said boom sections and is movable along the combined lengths thereof by a suitable power source conveniently mounted on one of said boom sections. Said carrier is provided with guides upon which a pair of rearwardly extending lifting arms are mounted. Said arms are engageable with the load to be lifted and are movable with said carrier for thus lifting said load to any height along the length of the erected boom sections.

Other objects and features of my invention will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a truck having a lifting device embodying my invention mounted thereon, and showing said lifting device in erected position in full lines and in retracted position in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the lifting device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG.` 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section i taken on the 1in@ 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a `fragmentary vertical section taken on the lineV 5-5 yof FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded isometric view of the lifting device shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the pivotal interconnection between the boom sections and the truck frame, and showing said boom sections in fully erected position; Y

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the frame-boom interconnection shown in FIG. 7, but showing the Vboom sections in partially erected positions; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of the frame-boom interconnection shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, but showing said boom sections in their fully retracted position.

My lifting device is adapted to be mounted on the rear of a conventional truck, which may comprise a frame 1t) supported on ground-engageable wheels 12 and having mounted on its upper face a platform 14 adapted to carry a fifth Wheel 15.

My lifting device is mounted on the rear portion of such truck and comprises upper and lower boom sections 16 and 18 swingably interconnected to the truck frame 10. As shown in FIG. 6,` the upper boom section 16 comprises a pair of opposed, inwardly open channels 19 rigidly interconnected at one of their ends by a cross member 20. A pair of plates 22 are rigidly mounted on the outer faces -of the channels 19 to extend forwardly therefrom when the lifting device is in its erected position shown in FIG. 1. The plates 22 are provided with aligned openings for rotatably mounting said plates on a rod 24 extending transversely across the rear of the frame 10 and supported on brackets 25 mounted on said frame 1d, as by bolts 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the rod 24 is carried in a fixed axial position with respect to the truck frame by collars 27 mounted on the rod 24 laterally outwardly from the brackets 25; said collars being adjustably mounted on the rod 24 to permit my device to be used on trucks having frames of different widths.

The lower boom section 18 comprises a pair of opposed inwardly open channels 30 rigidly interconnected at their lower ends by a transversely extending plate 32. As shown in FIG. 1, a bracket 2S is mounted on one of the channels 30 and is provided with an opening 29 for the reception of a hanger 31 mounted on the frame 10 and releasably retaining the lower boom section 18 in its retracted position. The channels 30 extend upwardly from the plate 32 and are rigidly connected at their upper ends, as by welding, to the rod 24 laterally outwardly from the brackets 25. As shown in FIGS. 7 9, the upper ends of the channels 30 lie within the vertical extent of and abut the inwardly presented faces of the upper beam plates 22 when the boom sections 16 and 18 are in both their extended and retracted positions. Collars 34 are rigidly mounted on the ends of the rod 24 to retain the inner faces of the plates 22 in abutting engagement with the channels 30 for retaining the upper boom section 16 in a fixed axial position on the rod 24.

To move the boom sections from their retracted positions shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 to the full line erected positions, a double acting hydraulic cylinder 37 is mounted on a bracket 39 fastened on the under side of the frame 16 adjacent the rear thereof. The cylinder 37 is pivotally connected to the bracket 39, as by a pivot pin 40, for vertical swinging movement of the cylinder about the axis of said pin. The rearwardly projecting cylinder ram 42 is pivotally connected, as at 44, to a link 46 rigidly mounted on a transversely extending rod 48. Adjacent each of its ends, the rod 48 is shouldered, as at 49, with the outwardly projecting ends of said rod being rotatably received in bearings 50 carried in sleeves 51 rigidly mounted on the forwardly presented faces of the lower boom channels 30. A pair of links 52 are iixedly mounted at one of their ends on each end of the rod 4S. The links in each pair are separated by a spacer 53 with the inwardly disposed link in each pair abutting the adjacent sleeve 51 so that the rod A43 is carried in a fixed axial position with respect to the lower boom section 18 by its shoulders 49 and the inner links 52 abutting the opposed faces of the sleeves 51. Each pair of the links`52 is pivotally connected at its opposite end, as by a pin 55, to a link 56, which link 56 in turn is pivotally connected by a pin 58 to a bracket 6d rigidly mounted on one of the plates22. Outwardly projecting ears 62 Patented .lune l, 1965 Y 42 allV lie inl substantially the same plane.

in FIGS; 7-9, the several links are interconnected in a Y manner such thatY the pivot` pins 55 are always disposed sneden their upper ends, and a corresponding set of ears 64 are mounted on the lower ends of the upper boom channels 19, with said ears having openings formed therein and disposed in alignment'with each other when the boom sections 16 and 1S are in longitudinal alignment sovthat said boom sections maybe retained in such alignment by passing a bolt 66 through the aligned openings in said ears.

To erect the two boom sections from their retracted dotted line position shown in FlG. l in which the upper boom section 16 rests upon the trame 1e on opposite sides of the fth wheel and its platform 14 and the lower boom section 1S "is disposed forwardly under the rear edge of said frame, the cylinder 37 is actuated to retract its ram 42 whereupon said cylinder pivots about the pin 4d and the link 46 rotates the rod 48 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 9 to swing the two pairsof links 52 forwardly and upwardly from the'posii tion shown in FIG. 9 to the position shown inYFIG. 8. This movement of the links S2 causes the links 5'6 to pivot about the pins 55'and 58 and force the upper beam 16 to pivot upwardly and rearwardly about the axis ,of the rod 24 Vuntil therupper boom section 16 is disposed in longitudinal alignment with the lower boom section 1S as shown in FIG. 8.

`After'rthe two boom sections disposed in such longitudinal alignment, their adjacent channel ends are disposedV in abutting relationship and the bolts 66 may be insertedl through the openings in the ears 62 and 64 to thus releasably lock the two boom sections inV such longitudinal alignment. When the twoY boom'sections are locked together Vby the bolts 66, the hanger 31 is released fromY the lower boom section 1S andthe cylinder 37 isY actuated to extend the ram 42 thus causing the cylinder to again pivot about the pin 49 and the ram to pivot about the pin- 44 with said ram acting through the rod 43 to exert a rearwardforce onV the lower boom section 13. f As theV lower end of the boom section 18 is swung'rearwar'dly about `the axis of the rod 24, the upper boom section 1.6, being rigidly connected to said lower boom section, will be swung Vforwardly about 'the` axis of the rod 24. Such simultaneous movement of the two .boom` sections is continued until the two boom sections are in the desired vertical orientation. Preferably, when the boom sections are in their upright erected position the pins 4t) and 44, rod 48, and the cylinder 37 and its ram As shown rearwardlyV of a line interconnecting the pivot Vpins 48 and 58 toV prevent the links 56 from swinging over center and locking-the'boom sections in erected position.

To retract the boom, the cylinder 37 is actuatedY to retract the ram 42. As said ram is retracted, the cylinder pivots about the pin 4t) and the ram pivots about the pin 44 while pulling Vthe lower end of the lower boom section 1d 'rearwardly through the interconnection of the Yrod 4SY to the bearing members 5d and sleeves 51 until the two boom sections are again in the position Vshown in FIG. `8.

' With the lowerboorn section thus disposed in its retracted Extendingacross therearwardly presented face offthe lower boom section 13fis'a` carrier` @constituting an en-r larged plate having ypairs of verticallyextending bracketsk 64 and 65 mountedron its forwardly presented face Vadjacent its ylateral edges. Y,Openings Vare formed in :the

brackets` 64 and 65` adjacent their upper and Vlowerends'` into t for the reception of inwardly extendingaxles 67 connected to rollers 63 carried within `the channels 30. Conven-v 'nels 19 v`and 30 along the Ventire length ot the erected boom sections. Y Y Y To effect such vertical movement of the carrier 63, a telescoping cylinder'l 72 is mountedon the plate 321 Del sirably, the lower end of the cylinder 72 is received in a pair of brackets 73 mounted on platev 32 by bolts 74, the interlitl between the Vcylinder 72 andbrackets 73 permitting limited fore and aft, tilting of said cylinder with respect to the boom section 18. -Theupper end of the cylinder 72 extends through an opening in a forwardly projecting plate76-rigidly mounted onY the carrier 63 adjacent its upper end. A pair of forwardly projecting plates '77 are connected to plate 76 and to the carrier 63 and extend-obliquely downwardly fromy their connections to the plate '76"to distribute the lifting elort ofthe cylinder applied tothe plate 76.` To interconnect said cylinder and the plate 76, a rod 73 extends through an opening'in the cylinder above .theplate 76 and a pair of U-bolts .'79 extend over said rod and through openings in the plate 76. Thus, upon extension and retraction of the cylinder72, the carrier 63 Vwill be moved upwardly and downwardly alongthe two boom sections, said carrier movements being'guidedjvby the rrollers 68 moving in the channels 19 and Ztl.

Mounted on the rearrface ofthe carrier 63 ,adjacent its lateral edges are pairs of kelongated guidesrSd` conven-V Vspaced openings 86 formed in the guides VStlfor adjustably mounting earch vof thegforks'on thecarrier. As is apparent from therdotted line showing of FIG. l, the pins 34 must be removed from the guides S@ andthe forks 81 removed from the carriere?, in ordel to permit 'the lower boomsection 18 to bemoved into its fully4 retracted positionin'which it is disposed under the rear edge4 of the i truck.

As shown in FIG. 1, `when the"v ram 42 is extended into position to dispose the erected boom sections'lj` and 18 in a vertical orientation, the lower fork arms 82 are disposed generally parallel with the ground. Y, However, it Ymay be desirable.' in lcertain instancesto dispose said'lower fork arms S2 at a slight upwardrangle to the ground, in which case the ram 442 -is extended toa point tocause the boom sections'16 .and latoV angle forwardly, or conversely, it may be desiredrto cause'the .fork arms 82 to angleY slightly Y downwardly, in which case vthe ram 42'is extended to a position to cause saidboorn' sections 16 and18 to Vangle slightly rearwardly.

`When the carrier is infa raised position with a load supported on the forks 81, there is a tendency for the carrier totilt rearwardly and thus bend the extended cylinder 72."` However anysuch tendency is `minimized by the interconnectionofthe'rollers 68 and boomchann'elsY and Y Vby the ability of the cylinder-72 to tilt Slightly rearwardly Vdownwardly to pull'the links 56 downwardly and cause the upper boom section 16gtofpivotrabout the rod V24 the retracted position shown invFlG. 9.

about Yits '.interfittingy connection with jthe brackets Y73. VThis interfitting connectionl betweenthe cylinders '72and brackets 73fcoupled Ywith the cylinder and` carrierginterconnection shown in FIG; `5 also permits said cylinderv j to be `quickly. andeasily removed for any servicing that might' be necessary.A Y I claim as myr invention:

1.` A truckmounted lifting device,rcomprising (a) a iirstboom section'swingably interconnected to 4 the frame of said truck and swingable between a retracted generally horizontal position and an erected operative position,

(b) a second boom section releasably retained in a retracted position angularly orinted with respect to said rst section and swingably interconnected to said truck frame on a common axis with said iirst boom section in the general horizontal plane of truck frame for swinging movement between said retracted position and an erected position in alignment with said first section,

(c) means releasably locking said boom sections in longitudinal alignment with each other,

(d) link means operatively connected to said boom sections and to power means on said truck for moving simultaneously said boom sections about said common axis into a retracted position when the power means is actuated in one direction and into erected position when the power means is actuated in an opposite direction,

(e) a load-lifting carrier slidably carried on one of said boom sections when said boom sections are in retracted position and vertically movable along the length of said boom sections when they are in erected position, and

(f) power means for moving said carrier on said boom sections.

2. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 1 with the addition that (a) said iirst and second boom sections are swingably interconnected to said truck frame on a rod forming said common axis and mounted on the rear of said frame below the plane of the upwardly presented frame face,

(b) said first boom section being forwardly swingable about said rod to rest on said frame in retracted position and said second boom section being forwardly swingable about said axis of said rod to dispose said second section under said frame in retracted position.

3. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 1 with the addition that (a) a transversely extending rod is rotatably connected to said second boom section,

(b) said link means comprises a first set of links rigidly mounted on said rod,

(c) a second set of links pivotally connected to said iirst set of links and pivotally interconnected to said first boom section, and

(d) said iirst mentioned power means is swingably interconnected to said truck frame and to said rod for causing said sets of links and rod to swing said boom sections between their retracted and erected positions.

4. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 3 in which (a) said second set of links are pivotally connected to said first set of links rearwardly of a line extending between the connection of said lirst set of links to said rod and the pivotal interconnection between said second set of links and said first boom section.

5. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 1 with the addition that (a) said first mentioned power means is a double acting iiuid actuated cylinder swingably connected to said frame on a transverse axis,

(b) a transversely extending rod is rotatably connected to said second boom section,

(c) said link means comprises a iirst set of links rigidly mounted on said rod,

(d) a -second set of links pivotally connected to said irst set of links and pivotally interconnected to said irst boom section, and

(e) a third link is rigidly mounted on said rod and pivotally connected to the ram of said cylinder, whereby upon actuation of said cylinder said links and rod will swing said boom sections between their retracted and erected positions,`

(f) said transverse axis, the interconnection of said third link and ram, and said rod all lie in substantially the same plane when said boom sections are in upright erected positions.

6'. A truck-mounted lifting device, comprising (a) a iirst boom section having a pair of laterally spaced members,

(b) a forwardly projecting plate mounted on each of said members and rotatably carried on a transversely extending rod rotatably mounted on the frame of said truck in the general horizontal plane of said frame,

(c) a second boom section having a pair of laterally spaced members rigidly connected at their upper ends to said rod and releasably interconnected to said frame at their lower ends,

(d) link means operatively connected to said'pair of plates and said second boom section and to power means mounted on said truck whereby upon actuation of said power means in one direction said link means will swing said rst and second boom sections simultaneously about the axis of said rod into a retracted position in which said second boom section is disposed substantially entirely within and below the longitudinal extent of said frame and the irst boom section rests on said frame and upon actuation of said power means in an opposite direction said link means will swing said first and second boom sections simultaneously about the axis of said rod into an erected position in which said boom sections are in abutting longitudinal alignment,

(e) means releasably locking said boom sections in longitudinal alignment with each other,

(f) a load-lifting carrier slidably carried on one of said boom sections when said boom sec-tions are in retracted position and vertically movable along the length of said boom sections when they are in erected position, and

(g) power means mounted on said second boom section and connected to said carrier for moving said carrier on said boom section.

7. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 6 in which (a) said second mentioned power means is received in a pair of brackets on the bottoni of sa-id second boom section for mounting said second power means thereon and permitting limited fore and aft tilting of said second power means relative to said boom section.

8. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 6 in which (a) a -first forwardly projecting plate is rigidly mounted on said carrier and is rigidly connected to a pair of forwardly projecting plates rigidly mounted on said carrier and extending obliquely downwardly from their connections to said iirst plate, and

(b) the upper end of said second mentioned power means extends through said first plate and is operatively connected thereto.

9. A truck-mounted lifting device as set forth in claim 6 in which (a) a pair of rear-wardly projecting load-engaging arms are removably mounted on said carrier, and

(b) said boom sections in erected positions are swingable about the axis of said rod between a position in which said first boom section is angled forwardly of saidrod and a position in which said first boom section is angled rearwardly of said rod.

1d. In combination with a truck having a frame provided adjacent its rear with a fifth wheel,

(a) a first boom section swingalbly interconnected to said frame on a transverse axis disposed below and to the rear of said fifth wheel in general horizontal plane of the said frame' and swinger-oleV betweeny a l retracted position disposed on said fra-me onk opposite sides of said tlr Wheel below the plane ofthe upwardly presented face thereof and an erected generally upright position, t

(Ib) a second beam swingably interconnected to sai frame on said transverse axis and swingable about said axis between a retracted position disposed Within and below the longitudinalextent of said frame and an erected position inlongitudinal alignment with said rst boom section,

(c) means releasably retaining said second boom section in retracted position,

(d) means releasaibly locking said boom sections in longitudinal alignment with each other,

(e) link means operatively connected to said boom sections and'to power means on said truck for moving said boom sections simultaneously into their retracted positions when the power means is actuated in one direction and siniultaneously'into their erected positions when said power means is actuated in an opposite direction,

(f) a load-lifting carrier slida'bly carried on one of position, and y. Y

(g) powerrneans for movin-g said carrier on sraidv'ooom sections.

y References Cited by the Esas-rainer UNTED STATES PATENTS Schrottky.

Y Decker', 214-674 AWagner 214--674 Ericson 214-653 ,Phebus 214-672 Cook 2114-674 Toddf 214-672 Brandt 214--672 X Srnith.'. 2144-672 Maloney Q 214-672 X HUGO o. ,SCHULL Primary Examiner. MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner. 

1. A TRUCK-MOUNTED LIFTING DEVICE, COMPRISING (A) A FIRST BOOM SECTION SWINGABLY INTERCONNECTED TO THE FRAME OF SAID TRUCK AND SWINGABLE BETWEEN A RETRACTED GENERALLLY HORIZONTAL POSITION AND AN ERECTED OPERATIVE POSITION, (B) A SECOND BOOM SECTION RELEASABLY RETAINED IN A RETRACTED POSITION ANGULARLY ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST SECTION AND SWINGABLY INTERCONNECTED TO SAID TRUCK FRAME ON A COMMON AXIS WITH SAID FIRST BOOM SECTION IN THE GENERAL HORIZONTAL PLANE OF TRUCK FRAME FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID RETRACTED POSITION AND AN ERECTED POSITION IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FIRST SECTION, (C) MEANS RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID BOOM SECTIONS IN LONGITUDINAL ALIGNMENT WITH EACH OTHER, (D) LINK MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BOOM SECTIONS AND TO POWER MEANS ON SAID TRUCK FOR MOVING SIMULTANEOUSLY SAID BOOM SECTIONS ABOUT SAID COMMON AXIS INTO A RETRACTED POSITION WHEN THE POWER MEANS IS ACTUATED IN ONE DIRECTION AND INTO ERECTED POSITION WHEN THE POWER MEANS IS ACTUATED IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, (E) A LOAD-LIFTING CARRIER SLIDABLY CARRIED ON ONE OF SAID BOOM SECTIONS WHEN SAID BOOM SECTIONS ARE IN RETRACTED POSITION AND VERTICALLY MOVABLE ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID BOOM SECTIONS WHEN THEY ARE IN ERECTED POSITION, AND (F) POWER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARRIER ON SAID BOOM SECTIONS. 